Today’s Sports Stat: December 22, 2018
If you are an NFL fan who likes parity and close games, then you have to like what has happened in the league through the first 14 games (15 weeks) of this season.
Consider this: Of the 224 games that have been played in the NFL through Week 15 (games through December 17), 121 games have been decided by one score… eight points or less. If you add the fact that there have been two games that ended in a tie that brings that number to 123. That means that 123 of the 224 games played so far in 2018, or 55%, have been decided by one score.
There have been a few teams that have lost each of their games this year by eight points or less. Topping the list are the Seattle Seahawks. They have lost six games this season, all by eight points or less; their losses have been by 3, 7, 2, 8, 5 and 3 points in 2018.
The Carolina Panthers top the league this season with the most losses by eight points or less this year with seven.
Here’s a look at what percentage of losses each NFL team have suffered this season have been by eight points or less.
100%: Seattle (6 of 6); Chicago (4 of 4); Houston (4 of 4); Kansas City (3 of 3); New Orleans (2 of 2)
88%: Carolina (7 of 8)
86%: Philadelphia (6 of 7)
80%: Pittsburgh (4 of 5)
75%: Denver (6 of 8); Green Bay (6 of 8)
67%: N.Y. Giants (6 of 9); Baltimore (4 of 6); Indianapolis (4 of 6);
60%: Jacksonville (6 of 10)
55%: Tampa Bay (5 of 9)
50%: N.Y. Jets (5 of 10); San Francisco (5 of 10); Dallas (3 of 6); Tennessee (3 of 6)
44%: Atlanta (4 of 9); Detroit (4 of 9)
43%: Cleveland (3 of 7)
40%: New England (2 of 5)
37%: Cincinnati (3 of 8)
33%: Buffalo (3 of 9); Minnesota (2 of 6); L.A. Chargers (1 of 3); L.A. Rams (1 of 3)
29%: Washington (2 of 7)
27%: Arizona (3 of 11); Oakland (3 of 11)
14%: Miami (1 of 7)
The most one-score losses the Packers have had in a season are eight. That happened in 2005 when the team suffered eight of their 12 losses by eight points or less. They lost seven one-score games in 2008 and lost six one-score games in 1984, 1991 and 2010 (in addition to this season).
The 1984 Cleveland Browns hold the NFL record for most losses by four points or less in a season with eight. New England (1993), Houston (1994), Carolina (2001) and the 2008 Packers are tied for second with seven losses by four points or less in a season. This year’s Pack has three losses by four points or less.
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Today’s Sports Stat: December 20, 2017
Last Sunday the Seattle Seahawks, in a home game in Seattle, lost 42-7 to the Los Angeles Rams. This stunning 35-point defeat at home was the first time they lost a home game by 30 or more points since 2010.
Two teams, New England and Pittsburgh, are the only teams to have not lost a home game by 30 or more points this century. The Pats last lost by 30+ points at home in 1998 while the Steelers last 30-point loss at home was in 1997.
Here is a look at each NFL team and the last season they lost a regular season home game by 30 or more points.
1997: Pittsburgh
1998: New England
2001: Dallas
2002: Houston
2004: Chicago
2005: Philadelphia
2006: Green Bay
2008: Cincinnati, Detroit
2009: Oakland
2010: Carolina
2011: Denver, Kansas City
2012: Miami, Tennessee
2013: Baltimore, Indianapolis, Jacksonville
2014: Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Washington
2015: Arizona, Cleveland, Minnesota, L.A. Chargers
2016: L.A. Rams, N.Y. Jets
2017: Buffalo, N.Y Giants, San Francisco, Seattle
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Undrafted rookies steal spotlight at Super Bowl 49
Malcolm Butler made the play of the game for the Patriots in their Super Bowl 49 win
Let’s start this blog with a trivia quiz… Twelve different players have been named Super Bowl MVP and have won the league MVP award (AP Player of the Year). How many of the 12 can you name? Hint: There are nine quarterbacks and three running backs on this list. Answer appears at the end of the post.
Tom Brady won his third Super Bowl MVP in New England’s 28-24 win over Seattle in Super Bowl 49. A pair of undrafted rookies (one from each team), however, stole the spotlight. In fact, had the Seahawks held on to win that game, there was a good chance that the undrafted rookie from the Seahawks could have been named the game’s MVP.
First, Chris Matthews, an undrafted receiver from the University of Kentucky, did not have a reception in his career prior to Super Bowl 49. At the end of the game, he had four catches for 109 yards and a touchdown reception for Seattle. He became only the third rookie receiver to have 100 receiving yards in a Super Bowl. Here’s a look at the three players who had 100 or more receiving yards in the Super Bowl in a rookie season (year is the actual year the game was played).
Player, Team, Year, Catches/Receiving Yards
Chris Matthews, Seattle, 2015, four catches/109 yards
Torry Holt, St. Louis, 2000, seven catches/109 yards
Cris Collinsworth, Cincinnati, 1982, five catches/107 yards
Matthews also became the eighth rookie player to have a receiving TD in the Super Bowl. The eight: Matthews, Seattle, 2015; Holt, St. Louis, 2000; William Floyd, San Francisco, 1995; Ricky Nattiel, Denver, 1988; Charlie Brown, Washington, 1983; Sammy White, Minnesota, 1977; Percy Howard, Dallas, 1976; Duane Thomas, Dallas, 1971.
On the other side of the ball, New England’s Malcolm Butler, an undrafted defensive back from West Alabama, made the big play of the game with an interception at the goal-line in the closing seconds of the game. It was Butler’s first career interception. Butler became the sixth rookie player to intercept a pass in the Super Bowl. The six: Butler, New England, 2015; Bill Romanowski, San Francisco, 1989; Brian Davis, Washington, 1988; Jim Morrissey, Chicago, 1986; Reggie Phillips, Chicago, 1986; Eric Wright, San Francisco, 1982.
Trivia answer: The 12 players who have won a Super Bowl MVP and a league MVP (AP Player of the Year honor) in their career are Marcus Allen, Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady, Terrell Davis, John Elway, Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, Aaron Rodgers, Emmitt Smith, Bart Starr, Kurt Warner, Steve Young.
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Seahawks eye back-to-back Super Bowl titles
Will Seattle hoist another Lombardi Trophy?
The Seattle Seahawks will try to become the ninth team in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowls when they face the New England Patriots (the last team to win back-to-back titles) on February 1,
It has been 10 years since the Patriots won their consecutive Super Bowls in Super Bowl #38 and #39. If the Patriots defeat the Seahawks, it will be the longest drought for back-to-back Super Bowl championships in history. A Seahawks win will tie for the longest gap (10 years) between back-to-back Super Bowl titles.
Following are the teams that won consecutive Super Bowl crowns:
Green Bay Packers, Super Bowl #1, #2
Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl #7, #8
Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl #9, #10
Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl #13, #14
San Francisco 49ers, Super Bowl #23, #24
Dallas Cowboys, Super Bowl #27, #28
Denver Broncos, Super Bowl #32, #33
New England Patriots, Super Bowl #38, #39
Of the above eight teams, six of them had winning records in the year following their back-to-back titles (Green Bay, 6-7-1, and Denver, 6-10 did not) and five of the eight made the playoffs that third year (Green Bay, Pittsburgh in 1980 and Denver did not). Three of the teams (Pittsburgh in 1976, San Francisco in 1990 and Dallas in 1994) lost in the conference championship the year following their back-to-back crowns.
If Seattle loses in this year’s Super Bowl, they will become the fourth Super Bowl champ to lose in the Super Bowl the following season. The three:
Dallas won Super Bowl #12 and lost Super Bowl #13 to Pittsburgh.
Washington won Super Bowl #17 and lost Super Bowl 318 to the L.A. Raiders.
Green By won Super Bowl #31 and lost Super Bowl #32 to Denver.
Each of the three teams above made the playoffs in the season after that Super Bowl loss, and each finished with a 11-5 record that season. None of the three reached the conference championship game that third season.
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Stats from the Seahawks four losses in 2014: Can the Pack duplicate?
Here’s one final posting before the Packers-Seahawks game this afternoon…
Let’s examine the four Seattle losses this season (they lost to Dallas, Kansas City, San Diego and St. Louis). Here are 10 stats that defined each of the four losses:
* Seattle allowed their opponents to rush for over 100 yards in each loss.
* The opposition had 27 or more rushing attempts in each defeat.
* Seattle scored under 27 points in each loss.
* Opponents scored 24 or more points in the four wins over Seattle.
* The opponents completed over 65% of their passes in each of the four Seattle losses.
* The Seattle defense had no interceptions in their four games they lost.
* The Seattle defense had one or no sacks in those four losses.
* The Seattle defense allowed 275 or more total yards to each team that beat them.
* Each team that defeated Seattle in 2014 had at least 14 points at halftime.
* In their four losses, the Seahawks were behind going into the fourth quarter in two games (down by eight to the Rams; down by six to the Chargers) tied with Dallas, and ahead by three versus Kansas City.
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